Claims:We Claim:
1. A flow control device (10) in a vehicle, said device(10) connected to a high pressure pump (12) in said vehicle , said device (10) comprising :
- a holder (14) having a first portion (16) and a second portion (18) , said first portion (14) have a first opening (20) and a second opening (22) and said second portion (18) in fluid communication with a fuel tank (24);
- a piston (26) movably positioned in said first portion (16) of said holder (14) ;
characterized in that :
said first portion (16) of said holder (14) is frusto-conical and said second portion (18) is made cylindrical and said second portion (18) of said holder (14) is integrated into said first portion (16).

2. The flow control device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion (16) and said second portion (18) of said holder (14) are made orthogonal to each other.
3. The flow control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion (16) and said second portion (18) of said holder (14) is made as a single component.

4. The flow control device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first opening (20) of said first portion (14) has a solenoid (36) connected to said piston (26) and said second opening (22) of said first portion (14) is fitted onto said high pressure pump (12) using at least one fitting technique.

5. The flow control device (10) as claimed in claim 1,wherein said second portion (18) comprises a first end (27) and a second end (28) , said first end is integrated into said first portion (16) and said second end (28) is sealed with a connecting element (30) and a hollow bolt(32).

6. The flow control device (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said connecting element (30) is connected to a fuel inlet (34) of said fuel tank (24).

7. The flow control device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piston (26) is positioned orthogonal to said second portion (18) in said holder (14) and said piston (26) is adapted to block and unblock a flow path in said holder (14).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said solenoid (36) is electronically controlled.
, Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a flow control device in a vehicle.

Background of the invention
[0002] Conventionally engines with high pressure pumps like flexible impeller pumps (FIP) are stopped by pulling the control rod to stop position by using a stop lever kind of arrangement either manually pulled or via mechanical governor arrangement or by using electrical pull - solenoid arrangement. In general, an electric shut- off device is used for switching off the engine by cutting off the fuel supply to FIP, by means of solenoid valve.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0003] Different modes of the invention are disclosed in detail in the description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing:
[0004] Fig.1 illustrates a flow control device in a vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and
[0005] Fig. 2 illustrates the flow control device mounted onto a high-pressure pump in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0006] Fig.1 illustrates a flow control device in a vehicle, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The flow control device 10 is connected to a high-pressure pump 12 in the vehicle. The flow control device 10 comprises a holder 14 having a first portion 16 and a second portion 18. The first portion 16 have a first opening 20 and a second opening 22 and the second portion 18 is in fluid communication with a fuel tank 24. The flow control device 10 comprises a piston 26 movably positioned in the first portion 16 of the holder 14. Characterized in that, the first portion 16 of the holder 14 is frusto conical and the second portion 18 is made cylindrical. The second portion 18 of the holder 14 is integrated into the first portion 16. The first and second portions (16, 18) are made orthogonal to each other. The first portion 16 and the second portion 18 are made as a single component.

[0007] Further the construction of the flow control device and the components of the flow control device is explained as follows. According to one embodiment of the invention, the shape of the second portion 16 of the holder 14 is made like a liquid filter that comprises a frusto conical shape at one end followed by a cylindrical shape at the other end. The second portion 16 comprises a first end 27 and a second end 28. The first end 17 which is a closed end, has the frusto conical shape and the second end 28 which is an open end ,has the cylindrical shape. The first end 27 is integrated into the first portion 16 of the holder 14. The first end 27of the second portion 18 has the frustum smaller than the first portion 16 of the holder 14.

[0008] The second end 28 of the second portion 18 is sealed with a connecting element 30 and a hollow bolt 32. The connecting element 30 is connected to a fuel inlet 34 of the fuel tank 24.According to one embodiment of the invention, the connecting element 30 is a banjo connector. A person skilled in the art knows the construction and the working of the banjo connector. The hollow bolt 32 is placed downstream to the banjo connector 30. However, the type of bolt used to seal the second end 28 of the second portion 18 of the holder 14 is not restricted to the hollow bolt 32, but any bolt can be used for the sealing. The fuel from the fuel tank 24 flows from into the high-pressure pump 12 through the connecting element 30 and the second portion 18 of the holder 14.

[0009] The first opening 20 of the first portion 16 has a solenoid 36 connected to the piston 26 and the second opening 22 of the first portion 16 is fitted onto the high pressure pump 12 using at least one fitting technique. The fitting techniques are chosen from a group of techniques comprising a screw fit, a snap fit and the like. The second opening 22 acts an interface between the high-pressure pump 12 and the flow control device 10. A nut 38 is used to screw the device 10 onto the high-pressure pump 12 through the second opening 22 as shown in the figure 2. According to one embodiment of the invention, the nut 38 is collar nut.

[0010] The piston 26 is positioned orthogonal to the second portion18 in the holder 14. The piston 26 is adapted to block and unblock a flow path in the holder 14. The solenoid 36 is electronically controlled. The solenoid is activated and deactivated based on a signal from the control unit 40, thus moving the piston 26 in the first portion 16 of the holder 14. The holder 14 further comprises two washers (not shown), wherein one washer is located between the connecting element 30 and the hollow bolt 32 and the other washer is connected between the second end 28 of the second portion 18 and the connecting element 30.

[0011] A method of working of the flow control device is explained as follows. The fuel from the fuel tank 24 is made to flow into the high-pressure pump 12 via the connecting element 30 and the holder 14 during the operating condition of the vehicle. During this moment, the position of the piston 26 is in a normal condition and the solenoid 36 is in a deactivated state. Upon detecting a signal from a dashboard of the vehicle, to stop the vehicle, the control unit 40 activates the solenoid 36 and the activated solenoid 36 moves the piston 26 in the first portion 16 towards the flow path present in the second portion 18 of the holder 14. The movement of the piston 26 blocks the fuel flowing in the flow path of the second portion 18 of the holder 14 and restricts the flow of the fuel into the high pressure pump 12.

[0013] The above method is explained with an example. During the normal operating condition of the vehicle, the solenoid 36 is in deactivated state, with the piston 26 unblocking the fuel flow path in the holder14. If the vehicle is switched off at 10.1seconds, then the control unit 40 activates the solenoid 36 to move the piston 26 and to block the fuel flow path. The above-disclosed process takes a minimum time to restrict the flow of the fuel into the high-pressure pump 12. By 10.15seconds, the piston 26 is made to move towards the flow path of the second portion 18 and is positioned in the holder 14, such that, the piston 26 blocks the fuel flow. The dimensions of the second portion 18 of the holder 14 is made such a way that, the storing of the fuel (which is called as dead volume) in the second portion 18 of the holder 14 is avoided. The fuel that is present in the connecting element 30 and the fuel inlet 34 of the fuel tank 24 flows back into the fuel tank 24.

[0012] With the above-disclosed device, the dead volume of the fuel that will be stored in the device 10 during the stalling of the vehicle is avoided. The dimensions of the device 10 has reduced, such that, the manufacturing and the maintenance cost of the device 10 is reduced. As in the conventional device, since there are no curved structures in the holder 14, the strength of the holder 14 has been increased thus increasing the efficiency of the device 10.The breakage and repair of the holder 14 is reduced due to its smaller dimensions. A Robust & reliable stop solution is provided with the above device 10 for conventional System. With the above device, the stop time of the vehicle is reduced.

[0013] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.